Burner devices for liquefied gas lighters



Aug. 18, 1964 -rAxsHo lKE'rANl 3,144,753

BURNER DEVICES FOR LIQUEFIED GAS LIGHTERS Filed July 15, 1962 w. K wf WMw V WH A M o 7 HW w m/ v/ B United States Patent O 3,144,758 BURNERDEVlCES FOR LIQUEFIED GAS LIGHTERS Taisho lketani, 589Nogatacho-l-chome, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed July 13, 1962, Ser. No.209,611 Claims priority, application, Japan, Aug. 30, 1961, 36/31,261;Sept. 21., 1961, S16/47,521 7 Claims. (Cl. 67'7.1)

The present invention relates to burner devices for liquefied gaslighters having means for controlling the flow of fuel gas.

The present invention has for its object to provide a burner device ofthe character described which is free from the danger that an excessivelength of flame be formed.

Another object is to provide a burner device of the character describedadapted to smoothly and accurately control the tiow of fuel gas.

According to the present invention a burner device for a liquefied gaslighter comprises an element of porous material impregnable withliquefied gas fuel and a fuel passage formed to open to a sectionedsurface of said porous element for conducting the fuel gas to the burnertip.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bemade apparent as the specification proceeds.

For a better understanding of the principles of the in vention,reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, which illustratessome preferred embodiments, and in which:

FIG. l is a fragmentary cross-sectional view diagrammaticallyillustrating the essential structure of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a burner device embodyingthe invention; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of another embodiment.

Referring first to FIG. 1, which diagrammatically shows the essentialstructure of the invention, a burner casing accommodates a supportelement 3 having a shoulder 12 and an upwardly extending stem portion 13with an annular element 4 of porous material fitted over said stemportion to seat on the shoulder 12. Formed in the stem portion is anaxial passage 14 opening at the top and terminating at the bottomadjacent to the shoulder and a radial passage communicating with thebottom of said axial passage and opening sidewise to the inner peripheryof the porous element 4 which forms a sectioned surface. A movableorifice element 2 is arranged for downward movement to properlycompressthe porous element.

Burner devices have previously been known which include two cooperatingrigid, parts, one of which is movable and formed with a passage forconducting fuel gas to the tip of the burner, and an element of porousmaterial interposed between the two rigid parts and when compressedoperable to cause liquefied gas contained therein to iiow out into saidpassage. With these burner devices, the porous element, which is formedfor example of cotton cord, paper, leather or felt, is deformed, oncecompressed heavily, to such an extreme extent as substantially to loseits restorableness. As a result, when the movable part is next raised toreduce the compression in order to obtain ICC an increased length offlame, a gap is formed between the movable part and the porous elementto allow fuel in the original unmodulated form to flow into the passageto form a flame of an excessive length.

Accordin0 to the present invention, though the porous element is alsosubjected to varying compression between the shoulder 12 of the supportelement and the bottom surface 15 of a movable element 2, the passage 10is located to open in neither of the cooperating surfaces 12 and 15 butis formed in that portion of the stem portion 13 over which the porouselement is tted and thus is at all times embedded in the porous elementso as to open to the adjacent sectioned surface thereof irrespective tothe extent of compression to which the porous element is subjected, thatis, irrespective to the position of the movable element. It will beappreciated that, with this arrangement, a moderately controlled flamecan at all times be obtained safely since no unduly large flame aspreviously frequently occurred is formed even when the movable elementis loosened to any substantial extent.

Referring next to FIG. 2, which illustrates a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, numeral 1 indicates a bottomed cylindrical burner casingwhich accommodates a support element as shown in FIG. 1 with a movableelement 2 threadably fitted in the casing from above. A

lfuel passage 10 is formed in the support element 2 to communicate withan axial bore formed in the stem portion 13 thereof. A rubber packing '7is arranged in the bottom of the bore with a valve rod 6 arranged onsaid packing to regulate the latter. The valve rod 6 extends through themovable member and projects outwardly through the orifice opening 17therein. A wick 5 is fixed to the bottom of the burner casing 1 tocommunicate by way of an aperture 11 formed therein with the space aboveformed in the casing. It will be observed that liquefied gas is drawn upby the wick 5 to iiow upwardly through the aperture 11 and a groove 18formed in the bottom surface of the support element and further throughan annular spacing formed about the support element 3 to impregnate theporous element 4, which is compressed by the bottom 15 of the movableelement. The fuel from the porous element passes into the passage 10 toiioat the packing 7 and the valve rod thereon and enters a cavity 16 inthe movable element to evaporate and reach the burner tip.

Another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 includes a bottomedcylindrical burner casing 101 in which a support element 102 having anupstanding stem portion 110, a compressing element 103 and a movableelement 104 are incorporated with a wick 106 secured to the bottom ofthe casing. A washer or annular element 107 of porous material is fittedover the stern portion 110 adjacent to the bottom thereof. A fuelpassage 111 is formed in the support element to open sidewise at one endto a sectioned surface of the porous element 107 and at the other end inthe center of the top of the stern portion 110. The compressing element103 overlies the support element 102 and has an axial bore incommunication with a cavity defined in the bot-tom of the compressingelement by an annular depending wall to receive the stem portion 110 ofthe support element so that the porous element 107 is compressed by theannular depending wall 112 against the inner wall of said casing 1. Arubber packing 108 having a central valve opening 113 is seated againstan annular shoulder between the walls of the cavity and the axial 3 boreof the compressing element in sealing relation to the annular wall 112.A valve rod 105 is fitted in the axial bore of the compressing elementand the tip thereof projects outwardly through orifice opening 114, asshown. An annular rubber packing 109 is fitted about the periphery ofthe compressing element in fluid-tight relation to the inner wall of thecasing 1. As seen, the movable element 104 is threadably fitted in thecasing from above.

In operation, the liquefied gas fuel held in the lighter tank is drawnup by the wick 106 to impregnate the porous element 107 and thenceenters the fuel passage 111 to flow through the valve opening 113floating the valve rod 5 to reach the burner tip. It will be observedthat such flow of fuel gas is finely adjustable by raising or loweringthe movable element 104 backing up the squeezer element 103 so as tocompress the underlying porous element 107 to a desired degree. Inaddition to this, the valve opening 113 in the rubber packing 108 issimultaneously varied to control the flow of fuel, said packing S beingcompressed between the annular shoulder in the compressing element andthe stem portion 110 of the support element. It will be understood thatin nonuse the cap member, not shown, of the lighter holds the valve rod105 in its bottom position to close the valve opening closed.

While the invention has been shown in a few forms, it is obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible ofvarious changes and modifications without departing from the spirit andscope of the claimed invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquefied gas lighter, a burner device comprising a rigidbottomed cylindrical burner casing having a wick secured to its bottom,a support element having a central upstanding stem portion and mountedin the bottom of the casing, an annular element of porous materialresting on said support element and fitted over said stem portionthereof, said stem portion being formed with a fuel passage opening atone end sidewise to a portion of the inner annular surface of saidelement of porous material and at the other end in the center of the topof the stem portion, a compressing element fitted in said casing andhaving a cavity defined by an annular wall to receive said stem portionso that said annular wall compresses said element of porous materialagainst the inner wall of said casing, a rubber packing having a centralvalve opening fitted in said cavity in iiuidtight relation to the wallthereof, a valve rod downwardly operable by the cap of the lighter tocontrol said valve opening, and a movable element threadably fitted insaid casing for depressing said compressing element.

2. For use in a liquified gas lighter having a fuel reservoir, a burnerdevice comprising,

(a) a burner casing having a rigid bottom wall,

(b) a support element having a base portion and a connected stem portionextending longitudinally of said casing, said stem having alongitudinally extending bore,

(c) the base portion of said element being seated on said rigid bottomwall of said casing,

(d) an annular member of porous material fitted about said stem andseated on the base portion of said element whereby said porous member isfirmly supported against displacement relative said casing,

(e) means formed in said burner casing to define a fiuid fuel inlet topermit the flow of fluid fuel from said reservoir to said porouselement,

(f) means defining a fuel outlet, said latter means including apassageway extending laterally through the side wall of said stem, saidpassageway opening at one end to the inner annular surface of saidporous member and at its other end to said bore to define a tortuous owpath for the fluid fuel from said inlet to said outlet,

(g) and means for compressing said porous member i against said rigidwall to control the flow of fuel from said inlet to said outlet.

3. For use in a liquified gas lighter having a fuel reservoir,

(a) a burner device comprising,

(b) a burner casing projecting into said reservoir,

(c) said burner casing having a rigid bottom wall,

(d) said bottom wall having an opening therein defining a fluid inlet,

(e) a wick for delivering a fluid fuel to said opening,

(f) a support member seated on said bottom wall,

(g) said support member including a base portion having a peripheralportion thereof spaced from the wall of said casing; and having a stemportion with a bore therein extending upwardly therefrom,

(l1) said base portion having a diametric groove formed in the bottomthereof for communicating said opening with the space defined betweensaid base portion and the wall of said cavity,

(i) an annular member of porous material fitted about said stem andresting on said base portion,

(j) said support member having a laterally extending passageway openingat one end to the inner annular surface of said porous member and havingits other end opening to said bore,

(k) a floating packing disposed over said other end of said passagewayin the bore of said stern,

(l) a movable element having an orifice opening therein fitted to saidburner casing for axial movement with respect thereto,

(m) a valve rod seated on said packing, said valve rod having its endprojecting through said orifice opening,

(n) and means operatively associated with said movable elements forcompressing said movable member to control the flow of fluid fuel fromsaid reservoir to said orifice opening.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said latter means isformed integral with said movable member.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein,

(a) said packing is formed with a passageway therethrough,

(b) and said latter compressing means including a member disposedbetween said movable element and said supporting means.

6. For use in a liquified gas lighter having a fuel reservoir,

(a) a burner device comprising,

(b) a burner casing projecting into said reservoir,

(c) said burner casing having a rigid bottom wall,

(d) said bottom wall having an opening therein for defining a uid inlet,

(e) a support member seated on said bottom wall,

said support member including a base portion having its peripheralportion spaced from the wall of said casing to define an annular spacetherebetween, and said base portion having a connected stem portionextending longitudinally of said burner casing,

(f) means formed in said base portion for connecting said fluid inletinto communication with the space defined between said base portion andthe wall of said burner casing,

(g) an annular member of porous material fitted about said stem andresting on said base portion of said supporting member,

(lz) said support member having a laterally extending passageway formedtherein, said passageway having one end opening to the inner annularsurface of said porous member,

(i) a movable element having an orifice opening there- 5 6 in connectedto said burner casing for axial move- References Cited in the le of thispatent ment with respect thereto, (j) said other end of said passagewaybeing connected UNITED STATES PATENTS in communication with said orificeopening, 2,734,364 Petersen Feb- 14, 1956 (k) and means operativelyassociated with said mova- 5 2,737,037 ZellWager Mar. 6, 1956 bleelement for compressing said porous member 3,078,010 IChikaWa C131- F61119, 1963 to control the flow of uid from said reservoir to FOREIGNPATENTS said orifice opening.

7. The inveniien ne defined in elaiin 6 and including 204,311 GefmanX -7July 10, 1959 a floating packing member adapted to close said other 10833,074 Great Bfltam APL 21, 1960 1,114,577 IFrance Dec, 19, 1955 end ofsaid passageway.

1. IN A LIQUEFIED GAS LIGHTER, A BURNER DEVICE COMPRISING A RIGIDBOTTOMED CYLINDRICAL BURNER CASING HAVING A WICK SECURED TO ITS BOTTOM,A SUPPORT ELEMENT HAVING A CENTRAL UPSTANDING STEM PORTION AND MOUNTEDIN THE BOTTOM OF THE CASING, AN ANNULAR ELEMENT OF POROUS MATERIALRESTING ON SAID SUPPORT ELEMENT AND FITTED OVER SAID STEM PORTIONTHEREOF, SAID STEM PORTION BEING FORMED WITH A FUEL PASSAGE OPENING ATONE END SIDEWISE TO A PORTION OF THE INNER ANNULAR SURFACE OF SAIDELEMENT OF POROUS MATERIAL AND AT THE OTHER END IN THE CENTER OF THE TOPOF THE STEM PORTION, A COMPRESSING ELEMENT FITTED IN SAID CASING ANDHAVING A CAVITY DEFINED BY AN ANNULAR WALL TO RECEIVE SAID STEM PORTIONSO THAT SAID ANNULAR WALL COMPRESSES SAID ELEMENT OF POROUS MATERIALAGAINST THE INNER WALL OF SAID CASING, A RUBBER PACKING HAVING A CENTRALVALVE OPENING FITTED IN SAID CAVITY IN FLUIDTIGHT RELATION TO THE WALLTHEREOF, A VALVE ROD DOWNWARDLY OPERABLE BY THE CAP OF THE LIGHTER TOCONTROL SAID VALVE OPENING, AND A MOVABLE ELEMENT THREADABLY FITTED INSAID CASING FOR DEPRESSING SAID COMPRESSING ELEMENT.